The Center for Financial Inclusion pursues the proposition that low-income people deserve high-quality financial services and that these services can best be provided through commercial models that incorporate social purpose.
The Center works on behalf of the microfinance industry as a whole, serving as a bridge to leverage private sector interest in microfinance. In collaboration with others, the Center works to bring the best minds and expertise to bear on industry problems. We are outcomes-focused, setting specific goals and measures of accountability for real-world change.
Contact Information
We are working to find models for the large scale dissemination of clean energy products to poor people, building on the resources and networks of organizations providing pro-poor financial services. We have developed promotional materials, and created links between manufacturers of lamps, importers, MFIs, and other distribution networks, in Uganda and Kenya. In Mali, we have put together a coalition of the largest micro-finance bank in the country, networks of savings group promoters, two importers of solar lamps, and a green NGO, the government of Mali/World Bank rural lighting project, and plan to start importing lamps in January 2010. Of specific interest to the PCIA, we are working in Uganda to promote biomass briquettes, the "Peterson Press" for making them, and one hole side-feeding purpose-built stoves. While this combination of technologies appears to have a positive impact on charcoal consumption and household finances, we are interested in low-emission stoves, or lower-emission stoves.
Our Experience And Interest In The Four PCIA Central Focus Areas
We are aware of some of the issues here and will be studying a variety of barriers to adoption of improved stoves in 2010.
Yes, market development is the primary area in which we are working. We are particularly sensitive to cost issues for end-users, and have pioneered what we think are the lowest cost lighting solutions, and biomass presses, available in the countries we work in.
As mentioned above, we are interested in lower-emission stoves, and very open to new ideas and products in this area.
We have not done any emissions monitoring. We would be open to collaborating in this area.
Relevant Publications or Studies
We have a blog with a podcast series on green energy (www.centerforfinancialinclusion.org or on iTunes at (http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=2881144...) and occasional publications and blog postings.
Our Contribution to the Partnership
We will follow PCIA posts, and we look forward to learning from other members.